My Salvation
by Alisterine
Summary: Abigail Johnson was just going to visit her best friends Dad in the hospital when the outbreak started. They had to figure out where to go-what to do; while dealing with the heart break of losing relatives and what they once called their home. Read on as Abigail finds a true family and love within the tragic apocalypse.
1. As it began

**Authors Note:** _This is my first story for the Walking Dead, I hope you enjoy it. It features my OC, and I know it's a little rushed, so please bare with me. I would appreciate it if you would review it for me, so I know what to fix and everything. I'll work on Abigail's character information to upload! _

* * *

I grew up with Carl; he was always my best friend. He promised me we would always be together on my last birthday. I believed him. Even a month into the apocalypse I still believed him. I would always believe everything he said; just like I would always trust him. I practically trust him with my life as it is.

The day the outbreak started, Carl and his mom Lori were gonna go to the hospital to see Rick, Carl's dad. He got shot a couple times and went into a coma. They were planning to transport him to the hospital in Atlanta cause of this weird flu going around. I was gonna go with them to see him 'cause Rick was like a dad to me, or at least the closest thing I had to one since my old man bailed on my mom when she told him she was pregnant.

Me and Lori were waiting for Carl to finish getting ready when Shane practically busted the door down, hollerin' that Lori and Carl had to hurt and pack, that there wasn't much time before the sick were gonna be here; that we still had to go to my house to get my stuff and my mom. Lori tried to calm him down so he could explain what was goin' on, but he kept on shoutin' orders 'til Lori had no choice but to pack their things.

As Lori ventured to Carl's room to tell him to pack and to get her things, Shane told me to follow him to the kitchen. He had a duffel bag that I hadn't noticed before, shoving all the canned foods and some bottled water into it, telling me to check all the cabinets to make sure we got all we could get here. Opening and closing the cabinets to make sure they were empty, my mind wandered to all the possibilities about why the usually composed Shane was so panicked now. I figured it had to do with that weird flu that was goin' around.

When we did as much packin' up of the house we could, Shane quickly ushered us outside to his jeep. It was real quiet outside, but there must have been something goin' on since some houses had their doors wide open, skid marks decorated parts of the streets, and papers and random objects were strewn around the streets. We all climbed into the jeep quickly, Shane stepping on the gas and practically flyin' down the streets, which were obvious of the chaos that was going on-people were eating each other, screaming for help. I was startin' to feel worried, and Carl must've noticed too, 'cause he grabbed hold of my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. To assure him I was gonna be fine, I sent him a smile, though it felt forced. He returned it with a smile of his own.

As Shane drove like a mad man down the roads to get to my house, he explained what was happening as best he could. He had to swerve to miss the abandoned cars around the street. I tightened my hold on Carl's hand, tryin' to ignore the fear that was blossoming in my stomach. It took all my will power not to cry, my eyes tearing up at the bloody messes around the once humble and small town.

Lori was yellin' at Shane that we had to go get Rick, but Shane dodged the command as we pulled up to my house. There was something off about the atmosphere around here; not a single person was around; not the sick or the healthy. Shane twisted the key to shut the car off, but kept the radio on. An emergency broadcast came on sayin' how there was an outbreak, and if you was bitten or scratched you are infected; to kill the infected aim for the brain. Unbuckling his seat belt, Shane motioned to me.

"We should only be a few minutes, but until we get back, keep the doors locked, ya hear?" Shane explained to Lori, who nodded at his demand. I slid more toward the door, hand on the handle. I waited for Shane to open his door before I opened mine, quietly walking around the front of the car to his side.

We quietly crept up to the closed front door, Shane having a knife in his hand, and a gun strapped to his thigh. I opened the screen door before I grabbed the golden door knob and twisted it, opening the door as quietly as I could. The silence from my house was absolutely unnerving, since usually my chocolate miniature pinscher Baby Girl would be barkin' up a storm by now. I peeked in just to notice the back door was wide open, and there was a bloody figure in the door way, gnawing on a small animal; that looked suspiciously like Baby Girl. Now that I'm paying closer attention to it, the bloody mess of a person had my mom's work uniform on.

I motioned to Shane, trying not to draw any attention of the sick person. He peeked in, a look of sorrow crossing his face as he looked down at me. My mind instantly connected that the person was my mom, and that she was already infected, and eating my dog. My eyes started to tear up, but I bit my lip to stop from crying.

Shane stepped on the hardwood floor of my house, quietly walking up to my mom's figure that was still occupied with my dog. As she turned around to attack him, Shane kicked her in the back, making her fall forward. Before my infected mom could react, Shane repeatedly began to slam the handle of his gun into the back of her head until it caved in, and she no longer moved.

He moved her body to where it was outside before he stepped back in, shutting the door behind him. He looked exhausted and sad. I just stared at him in shock. I would never get the image of my mom being killed because she was infected out of me head. Never. Shane moved to me, gently pushing me towards my room, telling me to get some clothes. The only thing I could do was nod, walking into my room.

I struggled to keep from cryin', grabbing the duffel bag I had in my closet and shoving clothes in it. I made sure to get my tooth brush and hair brush, and even managed to shove my combat boots and a couple books in there as well. As I turned to leave, I had a second thought. Spinning on my heel, I grabbed a picture of my mom and I holding Baby girl, jamming it into my pocket, and grabbed the small stuffed tiger my mom got me for my birthday. I decided that was all I would need, and went out of the room, gently shutting the door once I was out.

Shane was waiting by the front door for me, holding another bag that I assumed was stuff from my kitchen, which I didn't mind. I took a deep breath to prepare myself as Shane opened the door.

Once we stepped out of the house, down the street there was some of the infected people roaming. They were all bloody and mangled and I had to try my hardest to ignore the fear creeping up from the pit of my stomach. Shane leaned down, his mouth next to my ear.

"We have to run," he whispered to me. Giving a nod to tell express my understanding, we immediately began to run to the jeep, making it in record time. Once Carl and Lori unlocked the doors, we clambered in, slamming the doors as a few of the infected began shuffling toward the car. Shane twisted the key and slammed on the gas pedal. The tires squealed against the pavement as he tried to speed up more, in the direction toward Atlanta, where one of the safe areas had been reported, and away from the hospital that Rick was in.

"What are you doing? We have to get Rick," Lori demanded, hysterical. Shane gave a brief glance at me and Carl before his eyes trailed to look sadly at Lori.

"I went by earlier," he paused, "Lori. He's dead." The news shocked us all into silence. But before I could control it, my tears started to trail down my cheeks, and the held in whimpers came out as sobs. I tried to control it, but it just came out harder as Carl grabbed onto me and pulled me into a tight hug. I looked at his tear streaked face and just lost it. I hung onto Carl for dear life.

After a long time, I finally stopped crying. It felt like I didn't have anymore tears to let out, but the dull ache in my chest was still there, and I refused to let go of Carl. Lori seemed to recover from her shock as she glanced back at me through the mirror.

"Where's Miranda?" She asked quietly. Miranda was my mom; Her and Lori were close friends from high school.

Before Shane could answer her, I answered, "She didn't make it." Lori looked absolutely devastated. "She was eating Baby Girl," I quietly added, my hand going to mess with Carl's hair to try and comfort him, knowing he was torn up by his dad's death.

"I'm so sorry, Abigail," Lori turned around in her seat to look at me. She used my full name, so I immediately knew what she was going to say next was serious. "We'll take care of you, alright?"

I nodded, snuggling against Carl while fighting off the sleep that was trying to consume me- crying always did take a lot of my energy away. I knew it was true, that they would take care of me just fine. We were practically family. I just wished this could be a bad dream, and I'd wake up on Carl's floor, where I would have fallen asleep while we were playing video games, and that I could tell Carl all about it and he would laugh and call me crazy. But I knew this was different; I knew it was all really happening.


	2. About Abigail

Name: Abigail "Abby" Johnson

Age: 13

Birthday: May 20th

Eye color: Hazel

Hair color/style: Abby's bangs go down to the tip of her nose and parted down the middle, bushed to each side. She has a one inch thick strand on both sides of her head that are longer than her bagnd but not as long as the rest of her hair, which ends at her mid-back. Her naturally straight black hair is usually pulled into a high ponytail. The two strands are kept out and twisted to where they curl.

Appearance: Her skin is a shade of ivory, and her face is decorated with light freckles. She doesn't have apparent muscles, and she is a healthy size; not too plump but not too skinny. She has an A cup bust. She has a birth mark on the right side of her neck that stands out against her other ski s, and a small, faded scar on her upper right arm. She is always seen wearing a heart shaped necklace that is decorated with emeralds, her birth stone. She is about an inch shorter than Carl.

She wears a light blue tank top under a short sleeved sky blue t-shirt that has the design of two sparkly white angel wings on the front. Her bottoms consists of dark colored cut-off jean shorts that end at her thighs. Her choice of footwear are black combat boots that go half way up to her knees, with the addition of long white socks that stop about two inches above the end of the boots.

Likes: Animals, making friends, making people smile, food, shoes, doing hair, reading, learning, and the outdoors.

Dislikes: Walkers, being alone, the color red, sweets, rules, sitting still, being quiet, and being dirty.

Personality: Abby is fun-loving and adventurous. Sitting still is proven to be a difficult task for the hyperactive girl. She has a natural outgoing personality. She always has many doubts within her head, but she attempts to push them down since she doesn't want to worry anyone.

Usually, she doesn't mind telling everyone her thoughts and ideas. In fact, she often has a lot of logical things to say, since she was always smart for her age. However, she tends to keep her darker thoughts to herself rather than share them. Due to feeling close to the whole group, whenever the group is noticeably unsettled, she gets a little anxious. Whenever this happens, she usually busies herself with helping with chores.

She isn't one known for her bravery; it being quite the opposite. She clings to whoever is nearest to her whenever she is scared. Because of memories and experiences within the outbreak, there are times that she is found randomly going into shock.  
Because Abby has a natural motherly instinct, even towards the adults, she tends to make sure everyone is doing well before she thinks of herself; this causes Lori to worry about her.


	3. The Night Before

**A/N**: _Hey, I was really eager to write the next chapter after I finished Abigail's character information, so I kind of went ahead and started the day before the group goes to Atlanta and before Rick comes. I hope this helped portray Abigail's character within the story some more. Thanks to those who are reading my story! I'll get the next chapter written and posted within the next day or two. So you guys don't have to wait long C:_

* * *

It's been a month since the outbreak, I'm pretty sure. We met a bunch of people on the highway and went to this lake and made a camp. Not that there was much choice, 'cause Atlanta got hit with the outbreak too.

It was weird at first, havin' to learn the names and stories of each person. But I realize it just connected us as a group more. Well, except Merle and Daryl Dixon, they didn't want much to do with us. They keep pushin' our attempts away. Shane says that's a good thing 'cause they're no-good rednecks, but I don't think so. I think they just don't know how to act 'cause they've always been looked down on and always kept to themselves.

Then again, they probably just aren't used to being around so many people. I wasn't used to so many people all the time, so the first week or two I refused to let go of Carl or even talk outside the tent I shared with Lori and Carl. That changed when Shane took Carl and Lori out real early; before I got up. When I did, boy, was I mad. I stormed out the tent with the intent of finding Carl, but I was stopped. It caught me by surprise at first, the old man talkin' to me; askin' me how I was feelin' and telling me that he had some books in his RV if I wanted to borrow one. I was pretty sure his name was Dale, and boy, he was just the nicest old man ever; kinda like a granddad. I just couldn't blow him off; I ended up talkin' to him for awhile that day.

I remember that day clear as a crystal. It's when I mostly forgot about what was happening outside of our camp- but not really, since it was always on the back of my mind. I'm sure it was in the back of the minds of everyone else, too. It's probably gonna be on our minds all the time, whether we admit it or not, 'cause they'll be afraid of the day they get infected, or eaten, or the possible accidents on the runs to Atlanta. I know I think about them every time they send Glenn out on a run.

I understand Glenn is fast, but I'm always worried for him, cause he could always get trapped like any other person could. Shane keeps telling me not to worry about it, but I do anyways. If the day that Glenn doesn't come back happens, we're not gonna know what to do; probably recklessly send someone out for supplies. We can't just live off of what Daryl and Merle bring back from their hunts.

I let out a small sigh, pushing myself up from the ground of the tent. I was hopin' to take a nap; it was a real hot outside, and I don't do good with heat. It seemed like my mind had other plans, though. As much as I hated the heat, I still pushed open the flap of the tent and reluctantly dragged myself out. Even my light clothing didn't really help much, but that's to be expected; Georgia heat was intense.

* * *

I shuffled towards the RV, knowin' Dale was most likely sittin' at the top, takin' his turn at watch. I didn't feel like runnin' around with Carl and Sophia; I felt too sluggish to do that today. I clambered up the ladder, peeking over the top of the vehicle to spot my favorite old man who always sported his fishing hat.

"Hey, Dale," I chimed, finishing my climb to the top, swinging my legs so they were hanging off the side of the RV.

Dale smiled at me. "How are you doing today, Abby?" He politely asked me, genuine curiosity painted on his aged face. Well, he didn't really look that old; but compared to everyone else, he was aged.

"Doin' just fine, thanks for askin'. Anything exciting goin' on in camp?" I questioned, moving my hand above my eyes to shield the sunlight from my hazel eyes.

Dale relaxed in his chair, eyes briefly scanning the place that was starting to feel like home. "Glenn went on a run, and everyone else is just doing the normal chores," He explained, briefly pausing before he added, "The Dixon's went hunting."

I gave a nod of acknowledgement. "Dang, I wish them Dixon's wouldn't isolate themselves so much," I whined to him. Dale knew my feelings about the subject; how I wanted them to at least associate with the group more. But that was just a dream, I knew it wouldn't happen any time soon, if it happened at all. It was Daryl and Merle Dixon, after all; they preferred the solitude. Or just each others company, but even at times I think they get annoyed at each other too.

"Well, I know it ain't gonna happen, but I just hope it does," I sighed. Deciding I should change the subject, even though I knew Dale wouldn't mind, I quickly asked if there was anything new on the plan sheet for the camp.

"As far as I know, Shane's planning to send a group out on a run to cover more ground and get more supplies," He answered honestly. He always does; he's the one of the group I trust the most when I get answers, well besides Carl. I would say Lori, too, but sometimes the things she says just doesn't seem likely. I still love her though.

"Really? Isn't he always goin' on about how we can't risk too much of the group? Seems he twisted his judgment on that, huh?" I joked, eying the bustling campers. I felt kind of guilty for not helping out, but it's not like I wanted to do much physical labor in this heat, anyway. I'll make it up some other day.

Dale chuckled. "We have a lot of people here, and our supplies are just going too fast."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know," I replied, spotting Carl and Sophia in the middle of the camp, waving me over. "Hey, Dale, sorry to leave so suddenly, but I think Carl and Sophia want me," I laughed.

"That's fine, it was nice talking to you," Dale gave a reassuring smile, nodding his head toward my two friends.

"I'll talk to you later, promise!" I exclaimed before twisting myself to grip the ladder and climb down. I felt a thin layer of sweat on me, and I instantly wanted to scrub my body clean. I hated sweating, and I hated the grimy feeling it brought with it. I sighed, walking at a steady pace to the smiling Sophia and grinning Carl.

"What do I have the pleasure of, sir, madam?" I mocked a curtsy at them, something I did often as a joke; I've done that since I was introduced to Sophia, just to get her to smile since she was so shy. It always worked; she would do the same motion to me and pretend to speak like a princess, but Carl would just laugh and bow. It was like our special way of greeting each other.

"Want to play tag?" Sophia quietly questioned me, giving me her best impression of puppy dog eyes. It always worked when she did that; I couldn't help it, she was just too cute for her own good. On the other hand, tag didn't sound too appealing 'cause of the weather.

I hummed, putting my index finger to my chin in a mock thinking pose. "How about I tell you guys a story instead?" I offered. "I don't really feel like runnin' around in this heat, ya know?"

ophia eagerly accepted, and Carl just trudged behind us as I lead them to the logs we sat on at meals. I giggled at the expression of the sulking Carl, Sophia quickly joining in. Carl just shook his head, a defeated sigh leaving his mouth.

As we got settled down, I began speaking. "The story is called 'A moth who fell in love with a star'," I explained. It my favorite short story my mom used to tell me before bed when I couldn't sleep. Watching as the two nodded, urging me to go on, I smiled. The words began to pour out of my mouth, quietly.

"There was once a moth that fell in love with a star. He was mocked by his friends and family, telling him that was unrealistic. Discouraging his love of his star, telling him to go for something more possible, like a streetlamp or a porch light; even a candle or lantern," I paused to take a breath. "But the moth refused to give up because he was in love with his star. While his friends and family burnt out on the local lights within the town; on sidewalks, porches, floors, and tables; the moth lived for a long time, happily chasing after his limitless star," I concluded.

To my surprise, Carol, Lori, and Shane had appeared near us, listening to it as I was telling it. I gave everyone a smile, closing my eyes lightly. The story made me miss my mom more, but I wouldn't let it bring me down now. She didn't have to be alive for her to be with me. My hand fished into my shorts pocket, stroking the picture of us before pulling back out.

"That was a nice story," Carol quietly stated. Sophia nodded in agreement. Shane, Lori, and Carl already knew it; Lori and Shane had told me about the times my mom would encourage them with the story, and I had told Carl it when we were a few years younger; back when my fantasies were consumed of finding the love of my life. It was sad, but I had given up the hope of finding love within the outbreak; it just seemed impossible.

"Where did you learn that story?" Sophia questioned curiously. I let out a chuckle, opening my eyes to look at her. "My mom used to tell it to me all the time." Carol and Sophia had a similar look of understanding. "It's a wonderful story, isn't it?" I questioned softly, looking out into the trees, though not missing the nods from everyone around me.

* * *

The Dixon's came back from their hunt a few hours later, just as the sun was beginning to set. They immediately went and began to gut and skin the couple dozen squirrels they got. I wanted to offer my help, but Lori had me help Carol cook up some vegetables, which I didn't really mind. It wasn't a difficult task, in fact it was quite easy. While the adults were sitting around the logs as I was stirrin' the vegetable soup, they were discussing the run they were going to take the next morning, since Glenn had gotten back a few minutes ago. So far, the ones who volunteered was Andrea, Glenn, T-Dog, and Morales, I think his name was. Shane was sayin' there was one more position, and to everyone's surprise, Merle offered to go, but not before making some racial slur about Glenn and T-Dog.

With the plans set in stone, and the soup being done cooking, everyone got their ration and sat around a fire, save the Dixon's who were set up a little bit away, and Sophia with her mom and dad around their own fire. Everyone joked around as they usually do, eating their meal. It was really like a family; a big one, at that. And even though everyone seemed happy, I had the feeling they were all worried about the run that would take place tomorrow. I knew I was.

After I finished dinner, Lori shooed me and Carl to the tent for bed, telling us we had to wake up early so she could teach us some school stuff, since we're still kids and still need an education. The apocalypse happens and you still have to do homework, what a bummer. I didn't mind goin' to bed though, cause I was actually feeling quite tired.

Grabbing Carl's hand, we said our goodnights to the group and ventured to the tent, me glancing over to the Dixon's area to see them still out there, sharing a few words with each other. My eyes slid back to in front of me, a yawn escaping me and Carl's mouths at the same time, which we gave a small laugh at.

When we got to the tent, we took our shoes off, and I waited until Carl got situated in the makeshift bed before I pushed him over to lay next to him. Ever since we got here I would sleep with Carl; snuggle up to him at night. I was afraid to wake up the next morning and not have my best friend, so I just kept him close at night, to assure that he would be there. I gave a small smile to Carl, cuddling his side and whispering a quiet 'goodnight' and getting one in return, before I drifted off to sleep, hoping it would be good memories or nothing, instead of the normal nightmares that seem to have been happening more and more often.


	4. The Impossible Happens pt 1

**A/N:** _Here's the next chapter! Does it seem to rushed to you? Sorry about that Well, enjoy_! _Sorry if there's any mistakes._

* * *

When I woke up the next morning, I was hit with the worry for the group going to Atlanta. I looked over to see Carl still sleeping, and decided to wake him up. I rolled to where I was laying on top of him, my fingers went to his face and began squishing his cheeks to make them puff out like fish lips. I giggled when I received the groan from my half-asleep friend. I pinched his cheeks gently as I cooed, "Wakey, Wakey. Carl's eyelids fluttered open, revealing his sleep filled blue eyes. I gave him a large grin that he returned with a small, sleepy smile.

"We should go get breakfast," I stated as I rolled off of him and sat up, moving toward the tent flap where my boots were located. "I'm hungry," I added while pulling one of my boots on and tying it, repeating the process with the other.

Carl mumbled an okay as he sat up in the makeshift bed. I stood up after the laces were tied to my satisfaction, grabbing a hold of the open tent flap. "I'll wait out here for you," I said as I shuffled out of our small establishment.

It wasn't a long wait before Carl came out wide awake; maybe five minutes at the most. It was a mystery how he managed to shake off sleep that fast. I bet I could sleep for days at a time, if no one woke me up, that is. I grabbed on to one of his hands, a thing I have been accustomed to doing, and intertwined our fingers together.

We walked to the center of the camp, where Carol and Lori were finishing cooking breakfast, and Dale sat on top of the RV on watch. I used my free hand to wave at him. He gave me a smile and waved back at me, his eyes trailing to me and Carl's connected hands, raising one of his eyebrows. He turned his attention back to the surrounding area of camp when I gave him a clueless look.

Me and Carl shuffled over to Lori, looking into the pan of grits; our usual every day breakfast.

"Hey, Lori, when's that gonna be done?" I questioned, trying not to sound too eager.

She looked up from stirrin' the grits, smiling at us. "It should be ready in a second. Go on and sit down, I'll come bring some to you when it's done and cooled down a little."

I nodded and dragged Carl to the circle of logs, practically pushing him to sit down as I sat beside him. I moved over to where my was touching Carl's, no visible space between us. I couldn't help but think how not many people really liked Lori, and I wondered why. I know she didn't watch us as much as she should, but when it truly counts she's there. Not to mention how much concern she has for everyone.

We sat and waited in a comfortable silence. A few minutes passed by before Lori walked over, handing us each a bowl of the food. I personally thought oats were bland, and I would pick anything over eating it; but there was limited choices now, and it's the best thing we've got. Lori moved away when we started happily eating our breakfast. She came back a couple minutes later, carrying her own food as she sat beside us.

We ate in silence, and once we finished, we just sat there; none of us made any sort of movement to get up. I couldn't stand so much silence, even if there was the background noise of some people chatting, and things being moved around.

"Did the group already leave for Atlanta?" I asked Lori, mainly just trying to fill the silence. I knew it was pretty obvious, as the camp was just a noticeable bit smaller than normal.

She nodded, taking a deep breath. "They left about an hour ago. I'd imagine they should be back in a few hours," she explained. I couldn't help but to quietly add if nothing went wrong, conjuring up the different situations that could happen. We lapsed into silence once more; the air was thick with the silent worry of all the other campers.

Soon after that, Lori left to help Carol hang some laundry up, and Shane took Carl a few feet away, teaching him how to tie knots. I had nothing really to do, so I trudged to the RV and quietly slipped in the door. I grabbed a random book that I hadn't read yet, trying not to disturb Amy as she took a nap as I did so, and ventured back outside. I trudged back to the logs, but sat on the ground instead; leaning my back against the log instead, so that I was propped up in a comfortable position. I cracked open the book to the first page, and began reading.

Hours had passed since I started reading the book, and my eyes started to feel tired as I marked the page I was on. I was already about half way into the book. I started wondering when the group would get back, and the small amount of worry blossomed into much more. I heard Shane talking to Carl about catching frogs, and listened to Lori discuss how disgusting frog legs were, much to the disagreement of Shane. There was suddenly a blaring car alarm that was moving closer to the camp. Shane jumped up and hollered at Dale, askin' him what it was. Dale replied that it must be a stolen car.

Eventually, the red car pulled up to camp, and Glenn hopped out, the biggest smile on his face. Shane was yelling at Glenn to shut the car off, but since Glenn didn't know how, the guys rushed over and popped the hood and began pulling at the wiring in there. Amy had come out of the RV, going straight to Glenn and began to ask him where the others were.

When they finally got the cars alarm to shut off, a large moving truck pulled up behind it. The others filed out, minus Merle. I briefly wondered what happened to him as I blinked the blurriness out of my eyes. My mind wandered to how Daryl would take the news that Merle didn't come back, and I realized he would probably just raise hell. I put my attention back to Glenn as he explained that they found someone new. With a shout of "Hey, Helicopter Guy," the person stepped out.

I was at an absolute loss for words. The man that was now standing beside Glenn looked exactly like Rick. But I knew that was impossible; he was dead. Wasn't he? My eyes started to tear up; I had no idea what to think. Maybe it was just my mind tricking me, and it was really someone completely different. That theory was thrown out as soon as I heard Carl shout for his dad, and run to Rick. Carl held onto Rick tightly, and a shocked looking Lori ran over and hugged Rick as well.

The camp watched as the family members hugged, and I couldn't help but feel a slight emptiness at the fact nothing like that would ever happen with me; my only family had become infected when the outbreak started. She was already dead.

Before I knew it, I was standing, blinking out the bleariness. The book I was reading was laying open on the ground, the pages getting covered in the dirt from the dry ground. I stared in disbelief; it really was a miracle Rick was alive, but I had accepted that he was already dead. Shane had told us he confirmed his death himself. This whole time we thought Rick was dead. My mind raced with incomplete thoughts.

My blood rushed through my body, and my heart thumped at an unnaturally fast pace. I could barely hear anything over the sound of my own heart beat. Rick didn't seem to notice me yet, and as Lori broke away from the hug, I lost it. Tears started to roll down my cheeks, and I tried my best not to make any sound. It didn't happen exactly as planned, though.

"Rick," I sobbed out loudly, grabbing the attention of everyone around camp. I roughly rubbed at my eyes, my breathing short and shaky. My head was beginning to pound, and it felt like I wasn't getting enough air into my lungs. I could feel my face heat up, sure that everyone's eyes were trained on me.

"Abigail," I heard Rick breathe out before the world around me started to spin while I was attempting to breathe normally. I sent him a helpless look; I had no idea what to do. My eyes trailed to look at the tear stained face of Carl, and back up to Rick. I just couldn't believe it.

Dale appeared in my vision, saying words that I couldn't hear. I tried to focus to hear what he was saying, or to at least read his lips. I felt the sobs that ripped from my throat repeatedly in short gasps. Dale looked really worried, and my mind was too hazy to make a reason as to why. His lips were still moving, but I didn't bother trying to focus on him anymore. Rick stood behind Dale, looking over his shoulder and looking just as worried, while Carl detached himself from his Dad's side and came over to me.

Carl grabbed onto my hand, and his lips began to move as well. I still couldn't hear, and I could barely feel his hand on mine. I didn't know what was happening, and even though I thought I should feel scared, I was unbelievably happy.

My mind went blank as my body continued growing with the numbed pain. It was still hard to breathe, but I didn't bother trying to fix it; my sobbing continued, leaving me even more breathless. I didn't even have enough time to react as my body started to go limp. I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head as darkness consumed me.


	5. The Impossible Happens pt 2

_A/N: Sorry, I know it's a little overdue. I ended up restarting this chapter like..7 times. I was finally satisfied enough with this one. I decided to include a flashback, and even showed how little Abby's feelings for Carl were developing more. Enjoy!_

* * *

The darkness that had previously shrouded my mind developed into a cookout Me and my Mom had on my 13th birthday. Shane, Lori, Rick, and Carl were the only others there; Mom said I could have invited more friends, but I didn't really have any friends other than Carl.

Rick and Shane were over by the grill; flipping hamburgers that were cooked on one side, and turning the hotdogs so they wouldn't burn too much. The rest of us were sitting on the patio table a few feet away. My mom and Lori sat across from me and Carl; as usual, we were sitting so close that our sides touched, and our fingers were interlocked in a relaxed hold. Baby girl was laying beside me, wiggling her butt as a way of wagging her stub of a tail while my free hand stroked her small head.

My mom was eyeing me and Carl's position while we waited for the food to get done, a smirk adorning her ivory face as a sign that she was going to tease us, as she normally did. I knew Lori would most likely join in; they've always teased us together. They've been like that ever since I could remember; always seeming on the same track half the time. Sometimes it just seemed like they shared the same mind as each other.

"Look at that, Lori," my mom's southern drawl lazily rolled. "Before you know it, they're gonna be married and raisin' their own little ones." My mom let out a snort of laughter.

Lori smiled at my mom, dramatically grabbing a hold of her arm and hugging it close. Lori waved her free hand over her face as if she was fanning herself from the news. "My, oh my, Miran. What a beauty them babies 'll be," Lori drawled back in an overly sweet voice; like one of them actresses doin' a southern accent on the television.

"Can ya imagine? Our own children chasin' after theirs together, while we sit in a rockin' chair on the porch and enjoy the sight of it and sippin' on our glasses of iced tea," my mom would always get this twinkle in her eye, and I could never understand what it meant. It was just some hidden emotion, or maybe she was really thinking that all was going to happen.

I rolled my eyes at their show that they put on. "Oh, please, Ma; Carl's my best friend, it ain't like we're gonna get married," I retorted. I always ended up speaking like that in front of my mom; she would always correct my sentences like that if I didn't. She always said the way I speak at school isn't allowed to be sent home; That I had to speak her way. Half the time I think she just makes me do it so she can laugh at me.

Shane and Rick walked over then; Shane with the plate of cooked hamburger patties on it, and Rick with the hotdogs. They sat the plates down in the open spaces on the table, tryin' not to knock over any of the sides or condiments.

"I reckon it'll happen some day, eh, don't you think, Rick?" My mom stared hard at his leaning form as he blinked, confusion clearly set on his facial features. His eyes darted from the look on my mom's face to his wife's.

"Yeah, 'course it will," he finally commented, turning his head to look at me and Carl as he gave us a fatherly smile. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to know what my mom and Lori always dreamed when they were in high school; my mom told me plenty of times. How her and Lori wanted to have a son and daughter who fell and love and got married. It was a dream they never thought would come true, but here we were, and there my mom's unrealistic dream sat in the atmosphere around us.

Shane reached over and ruffled me and Carl's hair, and I couldn't help but send him a hard glare and a pout. "Carl and Abby, sittin' in a tree.." Shane began singing, trailing off as me and Carl's parents started singing loudly and off key.

"K..I..S..S..I..N..G," they practically shouted, chuckling as they earned a whine from Carl and a huffed remark from me.

"I have someone I like from school," Carl stated, as if to help back me up that we weren't ever going to get married. She was a nice girl, too; I didn't really know her name because I never bothered with it. I always noticed her blonde hair that she kept up in a high ponytail, and the shining forest green eyes that sat perfectly spaced. Her face was down right perfect, in my opinion, and quite frankly, it was a little intimidating. That was one of the reasons I never really talked to her or got to know her.

"'Course you do, Carl. There's gonna be many girls you like," My mom began her small lecture. "But you'll realize your feelings growing for little Abs there when she's always by your side through thick and thin. It won't be 'til your much older, just like she won't notice her feelings for you 'til she's older. Hope you don't wait until it's too late," she spoke in a wistful tone.

I remember how after my mom had first said that, gave us the speech and everything, was when we were 9; I was big on the whole growing up and getting married to have this wonderfully happy family. She came right out and said that, and my normal dreams of a wedding with a faceless man turned into weddings with Carl. It freaked me out a little, if I had to be honest about it. I just couldn't look Carl in the face for a week, but it eventually passed. All the fantasies of marriage and children passed over when I was between 10 or 11. I just didn't find that satisfying anymore.

As the memory began fading into darkness once again, I realized just how true my moms words were. I was always going to be there for Carl, and Carl was always going to be there for me. For the good, the bad, and even the worst; He would be right there, holding my hand and comforting me if I needed; and there I would be by his side whenever he needed me. The small fact wedged itself deep into my subconscious mind; I'll survive this whole ordeal for Carl.

My eyes began opening, and even though my mind was hazy, I could hear the screams and gun shots, mixed with the moaning of the undead. I jolted straight up in the bed of the RV, dizziness instantly hitting me and making me double over. I tried to ignore it though, as I whipped the sheet that was covering my lower half of my body onto the floor, swinging my legs to the side and standing up. I only took a couple steps before a dizzy spill rocked my body, making me stumble. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good grip on anything, and fell back onto my bottom rather harshly, causing a sharp pain to jolt up my back.

I couldn't do anything as the bile threatened to rise up from my upset stomach, and my vision swirled. My head was pounding roughly, causing an undeniable headache as I could only listen as the shooting died down and the screams stopped. I had no clue what happened, and that fact caused my breathing to hitch in my throat.

Gaining enough energy, I moved myself onto all fours, crawling over to the RV door, which was opened slightly. My breathing was shallow, and came out a little loud, and I had to lean against the walls as much as possible so I wouldn't fall over. I kept pushing myself; I needed to know what happened.

When I finally made it to the door, I pushed it open roughly with one hand, and it banged against the side and caused a loud noise; catching the attention of the campers that were near. I made sure to hold it open with the arm I used to open it to begin with, as my body shook like a leaf. I stared at the bodies of the fallen walkers, and even the fallen campers; stared at Andrea over Amy's bloody figure. My eyes darted around the small amount of the campers we had left as I struggled to keep from throwing up because of the rotten smell of the once undead bodies. Once my eyes successfully landed on Shane, Lori, Rick, and Carl; once I realized they were okay, my will power completely shut off. My body shook more, if that were possible, and my stomach released the little contents that it held. I didn't feel embarrassed, or shocked. All I felt was relief. I was happy my 'family' was okay. I felt guilty, though, too, because some of the other fallen campers I had never bothered getting to know; didn't even bothering learning their names.

And that caused me to wail. I grabbed a firm grip of the side of the RV frame and pulled myself up shakily. I didn't even bother considering the risk of falling as I stumbled quickly to Carl, the dizziness had yet to fade. When I got to him, I didn't care about Rick trying to comfort Lori or Carl or Shane; I shoved myself right between Carl and Rick, and wrapped my arms tightly around my best friend. My head laid on his shoulder, and I didn't try to be quiet as I wailed in Carl's ear loudly, clinging to him for dear life. Carl had his arms tightly wrapped around my middle, patting my back with one hand softly and murmuring comforting words in my ear. It didn't help.

Shane tried to pat my head; I sensed him close, so I just jerked me and Carl away from him; Away from Rick and Lori and the rest of the camp. My grip tightened, and I hiccupped. No, I wasn't going to let anyone touch Carl right now. He was the reason I had to live, and I couldn't afford any risk. Even if I knew I was being selfish, even if I knew it was just his parents. He was mine right now, and I wasn't going to let any one take him from me. Not now. Not ever.


End file.
